Wow! We're busy!

Time really seems to get away from you when you're running in a hundred different directions. Being back to school has definitely kept me busy. There is always so much to do. I won't even begin to tell you about how many meetings they keep us busy with.

Jon has really jumped into teaching. He's really enjoying it, and he likes being at Iberia High School. It's a small school, so he's really able to get to know everyone there. Small schools are great to teach at. They can have their downs just like any other school, but I am grateful that I was able to begin my teaching career at a small school.

Marian got her hair cut the other day. She was sooooo excited. I don't think I've even taken a picture yet! I'll have to post one. She looks even older now, and she loves her "big kid" haircut. She has been reading up a storm, so much and so often that we've been forgetting to fill out her reading log for school! Gonna have to get on that!

James is just getting cuter by the minute. He's really putting sentences together now. Although, sometimes, they are still unintelligible! Over a week ago, he brought a balloon home from a store. After being hit in the face with it numerous times, Jon popped it. James has still not forgotten it. Just this morning, while we were getting in the van to head to Nicki's, he looked at me and said, "Daddy pop mine balloon." I guess we'll have to make sure we get him another one!

Other than juggling things at school, I've been busy with my Mary Kay business. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things, so I've been slowly booking facials and classes just to get back in practice of being in front of someone again. So if any of you are interested in a facial or a color makeover, just let me know. No obligations! I just need the practice again! ;)

This has really become quite an online journal for me, so please bear with me as I express myself....

Josephine seems to be more on my mind the last couple of days. I can't even express how much I miss her. I get up every morning knowing that I need to keep going, especially for my other two beautiful children. It still seems surreal that all of this has happened. I never dreamed that I would endure something like this during my life. And I certainly never dreamed that I could survive and be as strong as I have been able to be. I imagine that my first trip back to the temple will be rather emotional, especially as I sit in the Celestial Room. Jon and I are planning to go to the St. Louis temple and have a couple's getaway over Valentine's weekend. I can't wait to go and to feel the peace and comfort that is present there. I can't wait to sit in the Celestial Room and feel close to my Heavenly Father and my Savior.

At times, it seems like the two months we had Josephine were a dream. Then at other times, it seems strange that she's gone. Many times, my arms and heart just ache to hold her, to hold a baby. I wondered if having another baby as soon as Dr. Schwartz clears me would help that, and I think it could possibly, but I also realized that much of the ache is for her, not just another baby. There is no replacing her. I'm sure I'll know when the time is right to have another one. All three of the others had no qualms in letting me know and giving me a little nudge. :)

Well, I think I've rambled enough for tonight. Love and blessings to each of you!

Back to School

Well, three of us went back to school this week. Marian is absolutely thrilled to be back. She loves her teacher and being at school. She is glad that she doesn't have to ride the bus anymore. She told me she likes the time that she gets to have with me while we're driving to school. She loves to tell people that she's in the first grade reading group. We're really proud of how well she is reading and how much she is learning.

Jon went to school for the first time this week. He was recently offered a position to teach high school Spanish at Iberia High School. He's also teaching two sections of PE. Yes, I know. What a combination!! He's enjoyed his first two days. I'm watching him sit at the dining room table while he works on lesson plans. I know he has that good kind of anxious about it, and just wants to do a good job.

I also went back to school this week. It is bittersweet. I'm happy to be back, but also wishing there were a reason for me to be at home. I'm taking the week to review and to start thinking like a teacher again. I'm sure the students are appreciating the slow-moving week as well. I was really needing something to help put me back into a routine and a schedule. I'd say that yesterday was the hardest. I wanted to make sure that the students had a chance to talk to me about Josephine if they wanted. Some classes did; others didn't. Plus, I wasn't sure how many of them had heard about Josephine's death, so I had to repeat myself seven times yesterday. By the end of the day, it wasn't quite as hard to talk about.

James likes being back at Nicki's, too. Yesterday morning was a slow start, but today, after I took his coat and shoes off, he walked straight upstairs to play with the toys. I'm so glad that he's so resiliant!

All in all, we are still doing great. Some days are harder than others. There are some days that we just miss her. I know that will never go away. I still feel the joy of having her here though. I was looking through some pictures and couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked in some of them. What a wonderful angel!

We are still getting emails, cards and well-wishes, and we are very grateful to each of you. I don't know if I'll ever be able to send thank you cards to each of you, so please know how grateful we are just in case I forget to send you one!